Harry Reid: (Bush) "sets the record for undermining troops more than any president we've ever had."

[Flabbergasted]

Senate: Home in 1 year
'Defying veto threat, Senate adds timeline to war spending bill

By Aamer Madhani
Washington Bureau
Published March 30, 2007


WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday approved a war funding measure calling for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq next year, and Democratic leaders warned President Bush that he risks "undermining" the troops on the battlefield if he vetoes the bill, as he has promised.

With the vote, both houses of Congress are on record supporting a timetable for a U.S. troop pullout from Iraq.

The Senate vote went mostly along party lines, with Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) joining the Democrats to pass the emergency spending bill for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included in the bill is a requirement that withdrawal from Iraq begin within 120 days, as well as a non-binding goal of bringing home nearly all U.S. troops by March 31, 2008.

After passing the measure, Senate Democrats challenged Bush to sign the legislation or face the judgment of history.

"I don't know if you could find in history any time that a president has done more to undermine the troops in the field than this," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). "If the president vetoes this bill, it is an asterisk in history. He sets the record for undermining troops more than any president we've ever had."

But the president was not backing down from a showdown. Flanked by House Republicans whom he had summoned to the White House to rally party consensus on Iraq, Bush again promised to reject the legislation as soon as it reaches his desk.

"We stand united in saying loud and clear that when we've got a troop in harm's way, we expect that troop to be fully funded," Bush said on the White House's North Portico. "We've got commanders making tough decisions on the ground. We expect there to be no strings on our commanders."


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703291003mar30,1,5394590.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[noahmijo]

1. "We expect there to be no strings on our commanders."

Unless of course they disagree with me than I gots ta fire 'em cause they hate the virgin jesus and uhhhhhh 9/11 and uhhhhhh ::blank stare:: don't fool you shame on me!

[Flabbergasted]

2. Well I guess Jesus would be a virgin. LOL.

[The Magistrate]

3. If You Will Forgive Slight Reference To Another Matter, Sir

It is this political confrontation over the Bill that is of the utmost importance, not its actual provisions, or even its eventual effects if made law. The fight is the thing: it provides tremendous opportunities to lay the charges of misconduct and fecklessness and malfeasance against the administrattion that need to laid, and pounded home; it provides an occassion for the people to take sides with the Democratic Congress against the administration, as they will, to a degree of probablity that would satify a Prussian staff. Though a veto cannot be over-ridden, its employment will be a Phyrric victory, cast against the will of the people. There will be no reason whatever for the Democrats in Congress to put up a 'clean' Bill after such a confrontation, and sooner of later, what we pass must be signd, or the forces withdrawn. Vindication of Congressional authority over a quasi-dictatorial executive is every bit as important as bringing out the soldiers.

[Flabbergasted]

4. Yes Magistrate I'm in agreement.

[dajoki]

5. He's acting like a little baby...

If you don't play by my rules, I'll take my ball and go home.